Ascent of Elk Hill on 2011-08-04

Ascent Trip Report

The road to the top of North Knob on Elk Mountain appeared to usually be gated and locked, but I was fortunate because repair work was being performed on the summit communication towers and the gate was open. The summit road was steep and not in the best of shape, but I was able to make it in my 1991 low-clearance Ford Festiva. I was very impressed with the ski resort at the top. The high elevation above the surrounding area reminded me of a ski resort in Colorado and not Pennsylvania. The view to the north and east are excellent. To reach the actual highest point on North Knob, you still have to climb a large mound where the communication towers are located. There was a lot of scattered construction material and unused concrete pads on this mound. I was unable to locate the summit benchmark. In addition, there are several large piles of dirt on the mound, but I am sure they were man-made and not a natural highpoint.